Historians and Egyptologists claim that there were a number of causes which brought about the decline of the ancient Egyptian empire. Egypt was a vast civilization that was the greatest empire on Earth during its time in power. Egyptian influence had spread far and wide around the known world but eventually it came to an end. The beginning of the decline is on the Biblical Timeline with World History beginning in the 11th century BC.
Around 1000 B.C. the Egyptian Empire was already in decline in the New Kingdom era. Problems for Egypt began about 200 years before this point during the reign of Ramses II. This particular pharaoh had been assassinated his wife in order to place her son on the throne. After this assassination attempt had taken place a period of instability had begun.
Shortly before the death of Ramses II the Egyptians had to deal with a horde of sea raiders that were trying to overrun their empire from the Nile Delta region. They also had to fight the Libyans in the east in order to maintain control of those lands. Egypt defeated both of these threats but it depleted their treasury and cost them manpower. They had to let go of their conquered territories in the west because they could no longer afford to keep control over them. After the Egyptians withdrew from many territories they left a vacuum that was filled by other Middle Eastern powers.
When the sea people began to infiltrate Egypt in the north many inhabitants of the region lost their homes. People became upset and no longer trusted in their leaders to guide and protect them as they once did and the priests who came up during this era began to gain power.
Then northern part of Egypt was run by corrupt priests and the southern part of the kingdom was ruled by the Pharaoh. The priests eventually gained control of the southern half of Egypt. Once this occurred many outside nations began to plant their representatives into the priesthood. The many of the Egyptian priests were becoming corrupt and the population was also starting to follow their lead.
Kush was kingdom that lied south of Egypt and during Egypt’s long reign they controlled this land. Around 1000 B.C. the Kushites began to push against Egypt. They eventually were able to take control of Egypt around 700B.C. They took advantage of the corruption that was happening and they were helping it to spread. The Egyptians were holding on to their empire but they were barely able to keep things together.
Both regions of Egypt had vied for control the kingdom during this time period. The upper and lower regions competed hard for dominance of Egypt. Power had shifted back and forth between the regions since no one ruler could effectively gain control of the whole empire once again. About 1000 B.C. they split apart and they were never ever to regain complete unity within the empire again. The eternal strife and lack of leadership and the decline in morality eventually allowed other nations to come in and dominate this once mighty empire. By 30 B.C. Egypt was nothing more than a conquered colony of Rome and it never again regained its former glory.
References
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians/egypt_end_01.shtml
http://teachergenius.teachtci.com/the-decline-of-ancient-egypt/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt#New_Kingdom_.281549.E2.80.931069_BC.29